Student finance issues

sweet2tiger

My boyfriend(22) is a full time student and I(24) am a full time carer.
We have been a couple for nearly 3 and a half years and lived together for nearly 3 years. He has been a student the whole time. When he applies for student finance they refuse to treat us as a couple as we are not married, while my benefits as a carer are reduced as the DWP treat us as a couple, this is leaving us in a mess financially. Does anybody have any advice on how to go about getting them to treat us as a couple, also they take his parents income into account when we have nothing to do with them financially as we don't live with them.

Taiko

Get married. February 29th is fast approaching after all!

He's not estranged from parents by your post, so the only other method is if he was supporting himself financially for 3 years prior to the first year of the course, which looks unlikely.

Other than that, you'll need to give birth before 1st September, that's provided he will be studying in the next financial year.

sweet2tiger

Taiko wrote: »

Get married. February 29th is fast approaching after all!

He's not estranged from parents by your post, so the only other method is if he was supporting himself financially for 3 years prior to the first year of the course, which looks unlikely.

Other than that, you'll need to give birth before 1st September, that's provided he will be studying in the next financial year.

I find it unfair that student finance basically say that in order to be treated as a couple you have to either get married or have a child, it's basically discrimination. We are in our early twenties and are not thinking of marriage or children so therefore we are not a couple. It's silly because we are treated as a couple by the DWP because we live together.

SuperHan

The problem is Student Finance expect students to be given parental support, so judge their loan amount on how much parents are seemingly capable to give. They see students as dependents, unless can be proved otherwise. Is your OH not receiving any parental support at all? There may be some leeway here if the parents are willing to say they are disassociated financially from your OH, but I'm not sure if that's possible. You'd have to speak to SLC.

DWP obviously don't see you as dependent once you're over 18, as you claim that once you are financially independent. That's why the systems are (unfortunately) different!

Taiko

There's no leeway. Still in contact, therefore not estranged, therefore do not meet the requirements of Schedule 4 of the regulations.

It's not discrimination, as that rule applies to everyone applying, not select individuals.

Dunroamin

sweet2tiger wrote: »

I find it unfair that student finance basically say that in order to be treated as a couple you have to either get married or have a child, it's basically discrimination. We are in our early twenties and are not thinking of marriage or children so therefore we are not a couple. It's silly because we are treated as a couple by the DWP because we live together.

It's not really a question of being part of a couple but of being considered to be independent. Unfortunately, he fits none of the criteria for independent status and the only way round this has already been suggested.

The criteria for claiming means tested benefits, however, are different; have you tried putting in a claim for LHA or CTC?

MultiCat

sweet2tiger wrote: »

I find it unfair that student finance basically say that in order to be treated as a couple you have to either get married or have a child, it's basically discrimination. We are in our early twenties and are not thinking of marriage or children so therefore we are not a couple. It's silly because we are treated as a couple by the DWP because we live together.

I'm having the exact same problem; SFE won't even give me a change of circumstances form.

At the moment we're going through the route of hardship funds through the university. It might be something you want to look into. It's unlikely that they'll help as the government gives them the figures for most things (like how much you spend on utilities etc.) but it's worth a shot.

Jezminda

Unfortunately until you're over 25 the only way he can 'break away' as such from his parents and their income is to get married, which for next year would have to be before the 1st Sept. No way round it.

hardtoexplain

Again like others have said, no way around it unless he has been supporting himself for 3 years before the degree. It's unfair, I'm in a similar situation, but the t&cs like any other loan you would get in life.

If you are struggling, and feel your income does not meet that of a basic adult or a circumstance has changed, your partner should approach your university hardship fund. However, they DO take into account a partner's income, do not include debts etc so can be difficult to get.

evemcvey

I'm a student of 20 and my boyfriend, who works full time, is 24. We have been together for a year and a half and I am able to obtain a higher loan and bursary because they have based my loan off of his income. All I had to do was provide a piece of evidence that we lived at the same address (bank statement, lease etc)

I do, however, live in Scotland. As with most problems with student loans the solution normally seems to live in Scotland.

I'm very surprised that south of the border they would be so discriminatory to those who are not married.

Dunroamin

evemcvey wrote: »

I'm a student of 20 and my boyfriend, who works full time, is 24. We have been together for a year and a half and I am able to obtain a higher loan and bursary because they have based my loan off of his income. All I had to do was provide a piece of evidence that we lived at the same address (bank statement, lease etc)

I do, however, live in Scotland. As with most problems with student loans the solution normally seems to live in Scotland.

I'm very surprised that south of the border they would be so discriminatory to those who are not married.

The English way seems sensible to me, otherwise you could claim based on a flatmate's low income!